GT realism and track days

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I took my 2013 370Z to Laguna Seca this year and my comments are as follows;

I think GT did a great job of teaching me the track, showing me a good line (but not the best line) around the track, and giving me a rough estimate of corner speeds and an expected lap time.

I will say that the physics of the game did NOT do anything in preparing me for real life laps, though... there is nothing like real life g-forces and the adrenaline of putting your life at risk - you just don't get those in a game.
 
I believe a little work and maybe some actual CONCERN by the Polyphony team on aspects like Center-of-Gravity, Torque-steer, and very basic true-to-life suspension parameters for the in-game vehicles could get things cooking in a major way.

Seriously what are we to do with + 0.20 rear toe setting for every single car? How is that allowed to happen?


There is a LOT that can be learned without the G-forces and fear-factor of real motorsport. Good force-feedback through a quality wheel combined with appropriate, dynamic tire noise (both of which GT does a good job of) can take you pretty far down the road of proficiency.
 
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There is a LOT that can be learned without the G-forces and fear-factor of real motorsport.
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While I might agree with that I would also add that without those two things you have pretty much removed any semblance to actually racing in real life. I have been 165+ on 4 wheels and 185+ on 2 and it is 🤬 amazing! You just don't get that from any game.
 
Well I can tell this from my experience, when I do laps in my Civic on the Nurb in reallife I pretty much learnt the track by GT. It helped me to be prepared and know where I was and what Comes next.
But the experience I get from my car on the track is nowhere that I can say GT gives me the same experience as I had. Like the force Feedback. My arms and fingers were so tired from fighting bumps etc. The behavoir of the car at weight transfere feels also very different from GT under the Limit. The Suspension rebounces way harder and ist not that easy to Keep the car under control, there isnt just Body roll like in GT. Luckily I never crashed but there were situations I had which never happend physics wise in GT after Little bumps under high Speeds.

Driving slow or a Little fast gives you a good Feeling of the car as in GT. As soon you get to the Limits it's not as you expect it trust me...
 
Simulation has been a method of learning and a form of familiarization for a long time now, and GT6 is no exception.
I remember using GT4 to learn tracks, for example. Of course the game isn't perfect. I doubt it ever will be. It is, however, a great way to familiarize yourself with different aspects of motor racing. The driving line is something that can easily be taught using GT6. Another learning method is consistency. Consistency is something that could greatly benefit a driver who uses GT6 as a simulator. If you can be continuously consistent in your driving in GT6, it'll help you greatly with encouraging consistency on the track.

I have friends who don't compete in real life, and they always tell me that they can beat me on the track just because they are faster than me in GT6. I've been racing for a while and I am no stranger to competitive racing, but I am getting a bit tired of hearing the excuse of using GT6 as a valid reference of driving skill. People always mention the GT Academy winners and how they used GT6 to become pro drivers. As far as I'm concerned, they already were good racers, and GT6 was just their way to show it. For me, Gran Turismo hasn't made me a better driver, but it has made me a more knowledgeable one. It's a great learning tool, nonetheless, but it's just a game. I honestly think it doesn't deserve the term "driving simulator," mainly due to all of its faults. Come on Kaz, if you're going to call your game a sim, at least simulate proper clutch operation.

Gran Turismo will always be a game to me. Until the day comes where I can sit and play Gran Turismo and mistake the driving for real life, it always be a Playstation Video Game.
 
TheCrazySwede
People always mention the GT Academy winners and how they used GT6 to become pro drivers. As far as I'm concerned, they already were good racers, and GT6 was just their way to show it.
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Completely agree. I think there is always some natural talent with the winners of GT Academy. If they were somehow discovered through other means, and not via a video game, they would more than likely still be as fast when they got into a real car.

As you say, the academy is just a selection process. It's fair to say that if somebody isn't fast in a semi-realistic racing game, they won't be fast around a track IRL. It's to sort out who knows where to put the throttle down, where to break and who knows basic cornering skills. Apart from that, and learning the basic layout of a track, I'd say GT can only really give you a sense of confidence going into a track day. Even if that confidence is misplaced due the lack of any real audible or force feedback in-game.
 
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